Why the Church Should Care about North Korea: "It's on God's Heart"

(Photo : Christianity Daily) A group of Korean Christians gathered to pray for God's love to abound in North Korea at the recent "North Korea Awareness Rally" held at Choong Hyun Mission Church.

August 15, 2015 marks the 70th anniversary since Korea became independent from Japanese colonial rule, a day known as Gwang-bok-jul in Korean. It also marks the start of the divide between North and South Koreas, as the Soviet Union slowly started gaining influence in the north, and the United States the south.

A group of Korean Christians decided to seize this year to pray specifically for the reunification of Korea and for God’s love to abound in North Korea. This group has been planning for a prayer movement to take place on August 15, 2015—an event which they call “Adopt-a-Day 815”—and has been asking local churches and Christians to “adopt” August 15, or “815,” to intercede on behalf of Korea. They hosted a “North Korea Awareness Rally” on January 31 at Choong Hyun Mission Church to bring more awareness on the history of Korea and the division, and to share testimonies of those who have been to North Korea or have had a passion for the country.

The rally began with a short documentary called, “Memory of a Forgotten War,” which shed light on the violence of the Korean War, the families that were torn apart, and the conditions that many had to endure, such as many families who had no choice but to live in cardboard shelters.

Six different speakers then shared their personal reflections regarding and/or experiences within North Korea.

(Photo : Christianity Daily) Anna Park, an attorney practicing health care law, shared that the first step Christians can take to help in North Korea is to pray, and to strive to do their best in all that they are entrusted with.

“I had been a little unsettled in my heart when people would tell me that I should care about North Korea just because I’m Korean,” shared Anna Park, an attorney practicing health care law. “But as I kept pondering on it and praying about it, I realized I need to care about North Korea because I’m Christian, and it’s on God’s heart – the persecuted church.”

Park said that the first thing Christians can do is to pray for North Korea, and from there, they could also strive to do their best in whatever they are doing, as God could use skills and expertise to glorify Him and further His kingdom.

Indeed, all of the speakers agreed that prayer is the first and most essential step to take action for North Korea.

Dennis Ju, a software engineer at Liferay, Inc., said that one way to pray for North Korea is to pray that “the gospel would go forth.”

“The plight of North Korea is not too different from ours,” Ju said, “and that plight is sin. What matters more than the economy, or any other aspect of North Korea, is that the gospel would go forth in this nation.”

(Photo : Christianity Daily) Dr. John Kim, the founder and former president of Jesus Awakening Movement for America/All Nations (JAMA), shared his experiences from the Korean War, and the change that could be brought about through prayer and the gospel in North Korea.

Dr. John Kim, the founder and former president of Jesus Awakening Movement for America/All Nations (JAMA), expounded on the fact that when the gospel reaches a nation, the nation can experience a complete transformation and revival. He gave South Korea as an example.

“When Korea was under Japanese rule, conditions in Korea were way worse than in North Korea or China today,” Kim said. “But when two missionaries surrendered their lives to God to share the gospel in Korea, the nation saw a complete change.”

“Korea has been invaded by other countries as little as 780 times, and as many times as 1,200 times, depending on the source. It’s the land with the most suffering in its history. But after the Pyongyang revival, Korea completely changed,” Kim continued.

Kim encouraged Christians to pray that people in both North and South Koreas would be liberated by Jesus Christ – North Korea liberated from physical suffering, and South Korea liberated from secularism and consumerism. He also challenged the younger generation to strive for excellence and to dream big to be in positions of strategy, power, influence, and decision-making, that they would be used by God in those places in unimaginable ways.

Attendees of the rally were also given a commitment card, which included the options of committing to partnering in prayer and/or finance, joining the “Adopt-a-Day 815” organizing team, and joining a bimonthly prayer group for Korea located in Fullerton.

Other speakers at the event included Pastor Daniel Chin, the English ministry pastor at Global Mission Church; Inn Hwa Kim, a staff and missionary from Korea Campus Crusade, Korea; and Pastor Sung Chang, the English ministry pastor of Choong Hyun Mission Church.

Previously, organizers of "Adopt-a-Day 815" held a prayer meeting on August 15, 2014, to begin a year-long preparation in prayer for the 70th Gwang-bok-jul anniversary. The organizers are planning to have another prayer meeting on June 6 to further intercede for Korea, and to prepare for the upcoming August 15 event.